Alternative school students have new basketball league in Marin

By senior Aaron Wilson's reckoning, his Marin Oaks High School basketball team allowed "at least a good 25" undeserved points in their recent 54-31 win over Marin County Community School.

"It was a lot of miscommunication," he said. "We gave up a lot of points we shouldn't have."

But more important than the margin of victory was the opportunity to play in the first place. Until recently, players on both teams were sidelined because, as continuation students who were far behind in their academic credits, they were ineligible for league play.

The rules have not changed, but the students can now compete in a new league run by LIFT Levantate, a San Rafael nonprofit group. Organizers hope the new SMART League — Sports Mentoring for At Risk Teens — will help players learn life skills and values such as problem-solving, respect and teamwork, that will serve them off the court.

Wilson, who played basketball as a young child but gave it up as a teenager, said the new league offered clear benefits.

"I felt like it would make me an all-around better person," he said. "When you are playing with a team you've got to work with people. You can't be hardheaded or not willing to learn or listen."

Marin Oaks has offered limited sports options in the past, but the league is the first opportunity in recent memory for students to consistently practice and compete. For now only two teams are competing — Marin Oaks is in Novato and Community School is in San Rafael — but organizers hope other continuation schools in the North Bay will join them.

The league is a lean operation. At a recent game, Marin Oaks coach Anthony Williams helped coach the opposing Community School and also acted as referee while his players made their own substitutions and called their own plays. But the sportsmanship on both sides was strong, he said.

"They don't mind telling the other team when they are doing something well," he said.

Williams, who played football at Berkeley High School three decades ago, said sports gave him a reason to succeed in school. After football season he would lose some of his motivation, he said.

"When the season was over, I barely got by," he said.

The SMART League has no grade minimums but students must sign player agreements requiring them to attend practice, complete schoolwork and show proper sportsmanship.

"We just try to stress, 'You are on the team, and if you can't make practice let us know,'" Williams said.

Senior Willie Piedras said he played basketball with friends in the past but the program has shown him what it feels like to be part of a team.

"It's like family to me," he said. "Outside of school I might not talk to some of them but this kind of brings us together. We come here, we practice, we just try to get better and better each day."

Kessa Early, principal of Marin Oaks and three other alternative schools at the Hill Education Center, said she has seen a difference in her students. Typically they rush off campus at the end of the day but now they are happy to stay after school.

"It allows them a positive way to interact with peers, to stay in shape, to have healthy competition and a positive outlet to keep out of trouble," she said.

The basketball league is one several programs LIFT Levantate runs at schools. At Marin Oaks, students also participate in the group's gardening club, paid internship and mentorship programs and classes in cooking and nutrition, physical education and leadership.

"They are actually learning life skills, collaboration, teamwork — all the things that you learn on a court or a field that could translate to home, to school, to life," Executive Director Richard Waxman said.